TMC to Provide Smart Air Compressors to Hyundai Mipo Dockyard

TMC Compressors of the Seas (TMC) has signed a contract to supply an environmentally friendly Smart Air marine compressed air system to the world’s first HFO-fuelled (heavy fuel oil) TIR III compliant ethylene carriers.

TMC will provide the Smart Air compressors to Hyundai Mipo Dockyard, which is responsible for building the two new 21,000 cbm ethylene carriers to Norwegian LPG and petrochemical shipping company Solvang ASA (Solvang).

In a separate contract, TMC will provide 2 x N2 (nitrogen) feed air compressors to each of the two vessels’ on-board N2 system. TMC’s has not disclosed the values of the two contracts.

According to Solvang, the two semi refrigerated/ethylene vessels will be equipped with exhaust gas cleaning for HFO operations, which ensures a very cost effective operation.

When HFO is used together with exhaust gas cleaning, the result is a very environmental friendly solution. The waste from the cleaned exhaust is delivered ashore. HFO has the highest energy density of all available fuels, which again maximizes the cruising range and/or minimizing the overall CO2 foot-print from the cargo transported.

Solvang also explains that set against the previous generations, the new 21,000 cbm vessels’ fuel consumption is reduced by almost 30 percent measured as gram fuel / ton cargo x nautical mile, and with the same reduction in CO2. In addition, the NOx emission is reduced by more than 80 %. The exhaust gas cleaning system reduces SOx emissions to almost zero, and soot with about 80-90 %.

“Our Smart Air compressors offer 50 percent energy saving compared to conventional compressors, with subsequent reduction in harmful emissions to air. They are obviously an excellent fit for the environmentally friendly profile of these Solvang ethylene carriers,” says Hans Petter Tanum, TMC’s director of sales and business development.

TMC Compressors of the Seas is the world’s leading supplier of compressed air systems for marine and offshore use. The company is headquartered in Oslo, with sales and service offices all over the world.